Drill rig catwalk



T. I. HOLLEY DRILL RIG CATWALK July 21, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec.24, 1948 Inventor Thomas I. Holley July 21, 1953 T. l. HOLLEY DRILL RIG-CATWALK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 24, 1948 Fig.3.

Fig.4.

Thomas I. Hal/e y Patented July 21, '1953 orgies DRILL RIG CATVVALKThomas 1. a ua, Webb City, Mo. a

Application December 24, 194:8,v Serial No. 67,112

i r r Thisinvention relates to new and useful'improvements in scaffolds,and the primary object 5 Claims. (01. 30414) of the present invention isto provide a removable catwalk for the rotary drill rig of oil and gaswell drilling structures.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide aplatform attachment for drill rigs including a novel and improved treadeway orflooring so constructed'as to permit the user to standthereon in asafe. manner with desirable footing.

A further object of the present invention. is to provide a catwalk fordrill rigs embodying novel and improved means for quickly and readilyapplying the same to or removing the samefrom the drill rig in aconvenient manner.

r A still'further aim of the present invention is to provide a .drillrig catwalk that is simple and practical in construction, strong andreliable in use,. small and compact in structure, neat and attractive inappearance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise welladapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

I Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, whereinlikenumerals refer tolike parts throughout, and in which: 7

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a drill rig and showingthe present invention applied thereto; 7

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the present catwalk;

Figure 3 isa fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken through thedrill rig of Figure 1 and looking down upon the present catwalk;

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view takensubstantially on the plane of section line 5- of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the framework used in conjunction withthe present invention;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the planeof section line 55 of Figure 5; r

Figure 7 is a View .similar to Figure 4, and illustrating the manner inwhich the flooring engages the anchor plates; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of one of the anchorplates used inconjunction with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein, for the purpose ofillustration, there is dis generally'of the type used in oil orgasdrillin and which includes a base'consisting of an I beam member l2.

Fixedly secured tothe web of the beam I2 and the upper flange M of thebeam l2, by welding or the like, are the straight inner edges 16 and.

portions it of the upper edges 20 of a plurality of longitudinallyspaced, substantially triangular anchor plates 22 that project laterallyfrom the said beam l2.

The upper edges 29 of the anchor platesare provided with outwardly anddownwardly inclined recesses or notches 2 l'and lips .or shoulders 26project outwardly fromthe upper edges 2%) and abut the outer edge of theupper flange I i and are suitably secured thereto.

The numeral 28 represents the framework that is used in conjunction withthe present invention generally. This framework includes an outerlongitudinal, preferably angleiron member 36, the ends of which arewelded,*or otherwise fixed, to the outer ends of a pair of preferablyangle iron end members 32, and the inner ends of the members 3,2 arewelded or otherwisesecured to the ends of a longitudinal .bar or rod 35that is received in the recesses 24 for rotation.

A suitable number of preferably angle iron cross members or braces 36extend transversely between and have their ends fixed to the mem- I ber39 and bar 35 by welding-o1" the like.

Extending beneath the bar 34 isza pressure beam or angle iron member 38that is connected and braced relative to the bar 34 by a plurality ofangle iron brace members 3E] having their ends Welded or otherwise fixedto the inner ends of I the the longitudinal member 39 by inclined angleclosed the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeraliii represents a. drill rig iron brace straps d2 having their ends fixedto the beam 38 and the outer ends of the members 32 and 36 by welding orthe like.

A rectangular sheet of expanded metal or steel matting it is suitablysecured to the framework 293, and more particularly the upper surfacesof the bar 35, the end member 32, the cross members 3B, and beam 38, andforms a traction surface or flooring.

In practical use of the present invention, the bar 3% slipped into therecesses 2 3 andthe beam 38 bears against the web of the supporting beam52 (see Figs. 4 and 7) to prevent down ward swinging movement of theframework and thereby retain the said framework in a substantiallyhorizontal position. I v

The lower corners of the plates 22 are removed to provide inclined edges46 that will abut the beam 38 to prevent accidental vertical lifting ofthe framework while the same is in a horizontal position. It is furthernoted that the upper edges 20 of the plates 22 support the foot workportion or flooring 44 adjacent certain of the struts or braces 40.

To remove the present catwalk or platform from the beam l2, it is merelynecessary to swing the outer portion of the framework 22, by graspingthe beam 30, upwardly and to then raise the bar 30 from the recesses 24.

Although as depicted in the drawings the flooring 44 is welded to theframework and the elements forming the framework are welded together,-itis obvious that any suitable fastening means could be employed, such asbolts and nuts, without deviating from the scope of the instantinvention. 7

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, it

is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quiteapparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description isaccordingly deemed unnecessary.

' It is to be understood, however, that even though there is hereinshown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same issusceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of theinvention as herein described and within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A drill rig catwalk comprising a horizontally disposed supportingbeam, a plurality of longitudinally spaced vertically disposed anchorplates fixed to and projecting laterally from said beam, a footplatform, a longitudinal bar fixed to said platform, said anchor plateshaving recesses receiving said bar, and a vertically inclined bracecarried by said platform and including an elongated member parallelingthe bar and abutting the beam and preventing downward swinging movementof said platform relative to said beam, said anchor plates overlyingsaid member and functioning as stops preventing accidental raising ofthe member.

2. A drill rig catwalk comprising an open framework having a pluralityof cross members and a longitudinal bar, a pressure beam braced to saidcross member and spaced parallel to said bar, a supporting beam, aplurality of plates fixed to said beam and having recesses receivingsaid bar, said plates including lower edges, said pressure beam bearingagainst said supporting beam to prevent downward swinging movement ofsaid framework, said pressure beam underlying the lower edges of saidplates to prevent accidental raising of the pressure beam relative tosaid supporting beam, and a traction surface fixed to said framework.

3. A drill rig platform comprising an elongated beam having a verticalweb portion and upper and lower horizontal flanges joined by the webportion, a plurality of support plates each having a vertical'edge andan upper horizontal edge including an inner portion, the vertical edgesof said plates and the inner portions of the upper edges of said platesbeing permanently fixed to the web portion and the upper fiange of saidbeam respectively, a platform including a longitudinal bar, the upperedges of said plates adjacent the upper flange of said beam havingrecesses receiving said bar, and an inclined brace attached to saidplatform and abutting the web portion of said beam between the upper andlower flanges of the beam for retaining the platform substantiallyhorizontal, said platform including a traction surface flush with theupper face of said upper flange.

4. A drill. rig catwalk comprising a support beam, a plurality ofvertically disposed plates fixed to and projecting laterally from thesupport beam, said plates having upper edges including recesses, aplatform including a circular bar rotatable in said recesses for raisingand lowering of the platform about the plates, said plates having loweredges, and a bearing beam carried by the platform and underlying andparalleling the bar and underlying and contacting the lower edges ofsaid plates to prevent the removal of the bar from the recesses untilthe bearing beam has cleared the lower edges of said plates.

5. A drill rig catwalk comprising a support including a plurality ofspaced parallel supporting plates, each having an upper and a loweredge, the upper edges of said plates having inclined slots therein, aframe including a bar received in said slots for rotation, said slotshaving entrances, and a beam carried by the frame and paralleling thebar, said beam. underlying the lower edges of said plates, said framebeing removable from said support upon raising of the frame about saidbar, and movement of the beam from beneath the plates whereupon the baris lifted from the entrances of said slots.

THOMAS E. H'OLLEY.

References Gited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS SaulApr. 20, 1943

